Twisted ferroelectric liquid crystals dynamic behaviour modification under electric field: A Mueller matrix polarimetry approach using birefringence

Abstract

A low frequency and high amplitude rectangular voltage V has been applied during different increased duration to Twisted Surface Stabilized Ferroelectric Liquid crystal (TwFLC) samples in which the alignment layers of the two substrates were rubbed along two different directions between 0° and 90°. The optical bistability properties have been evaluated using the specific Mueller Matrix formalism that allows a simultaneous access, through a single-shot measurement, to different polarimetric coefficients. In this new approach, the ellipticity ϵR and the azimuthal αR polarimetric parameters, extracted from the birefringence Mueller Matrix MR will be considered in priority. Several significant parameters, such as the horizontal offset ΔV, the degree of asymmetry DA, the characteristic area S of the hysteresis loop, are used to characterize the degradation observed into the hysteretic behaviour of the samples, for different values of ψ, at different duration T of exposure to V, before reaching the so-called stripes regime, giving a new experimental point of view concerning the evolution of the dynamic properties of the samples studied. The αR(V) and the ϵR(V) hysteresis loops are specifically examined. Static mapping related to ϵR(T) is given too. Among the different possible physical origins of the observed degradation, the in-plane anchoring energy contribution will be particularly examined, and a theoretical model is proposed that also gives access to different physical parameters, through a new approach.